Adjustable tray



July 27 1926. 1,593,834

F. B. M NEAL ET AL ADJUSTABLE TRAY Filed June 20. 1924 2 Sheets-$heet 1 INVENTORS FRED B- M A c/u 650201: 6. Hfi/EPER.

ATTORNEYS Jul 27kf,1926. V 1,593,834

F. B. M NEAL El AL 4 ADJUSTABLE TRAY Filed June 20. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS FRED B. M /VEHL ATTORNEYS Patented July .27, 1926.

UNITED STATES.

v 1,593,334 PATENT OFFICE.

ram) 3. EONEALAND GEORGE s. HARPER, or TULSA, OKLAHOMA, Assrenons To It. 1

NEAVLES, or TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

ADJUSTABLE TRAY.

Application filed June 20, 1824. Serial No. 721,170.

This invention relates to adjustable trays .which are adapted for many and various uses, but which-are designed especially to.

be usedin connectidn with automobiles in I order to support refreshments being served to the occupants of such or othervehicles. The invention has for its primary object torovidemdevice of the character stated which shall be simple in construction, effective in operation and adapted to be readily attached to or removed from a door or panel of a vehicle without injury thereto. Such and other objects of the invention hereinafter stated are accomplished by the means 16 hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings although it is to be understood that changes, modifications and variations of. such-constructionmay be 7 embodied without departing from the invention. M r As illustrated in the accompanying'drawings, Figure 1,'i s a erspective View of the r device attached {to t e door of an aut0mo bile. Figure 2, is a side elevation of the de- 2 vice shown in Figure 1.

. Figure 3, is a plan of the'device shown in Figures 1 and 2 with the top plate removed. Figure 14, is a longitudinal section taken 9n the line 4- 401 Figure 3 and Figure 5'is afsection taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

In the drawings in which. corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several features,

1 represents the bottom of a casing having side walls 2, the side walls 2 being provided with horizontal outer flanges 3, for the purpose of supporting a top plate 4. The top plate is secured to the bottom of the body 0 of the casing by means of studs or screws 5, or other suitable means for holding the body and topof the .casing securely together.

. Brackets 6, are connected at their upper end with the body of the casing preferable with the side walls thereof by means of screws 7 or otherwise. The free ends of the brackets 6, are connected by a cross bar 8, and the outer face of said cross bar ispreferably curved and provided with a bearing strip 9, of soft material such as felt,

so that when the free end's'ofthe brackets are brought in contact with the door or other portion of a vehicle, in order to press and su port the tray in position, the cross bar w' 1 not mar the vehiclein any respect,

or other'part of the vehicle. The under surface and outer endsof the 1 and also sothat the curved surface of the cross bar of the brackets may have a bearing against the doors of vehicles of varying transverse curvatures.

Side barslO, are supported within the body of the tray, preferably near the outer margin thereof, with their edges bearing against the side walls 2 of'the tray,so as to enable the sides of the side bars to be supported by said side walls against tortional movement in one direction; The outer or free ends of the side bars 10 are offset as at 11, to enable said ends to grip, and have a bearing, against the inner wall of the door a side bars 10 are provided with 'a covering of soft material 12,'such as felt, to protect the finish of the parts of the vehicle'jclamped thereby, from injury.

The inner ends of the bars 10, are connected with a cross bar 13,'and a draw arm 14 is connected with said cross bar 13, the outer end of said arm 14 being provided with a lip 15. By means of such construction' an outward pull on the lip 15 draws the cross bar 13 forward and brings the opposite ends .11, of the side bars 10 against the inner wall of the door or other part of the 'ehicle. i

Springs 16, are connected at one end to studs 17 attached to the casing and the' other end of said springs is connected with said -cross bar 13 whereby an outward pull on the draw arm 14, by'means of the lip 15 stretches said springs and places them under tension. The arm 14 is provided on one edge with the teeth or serrations 18 which are engaged by theend 19 of alever 20 pivotally mounted on a stud 21 secured to the body of the tray. As the bars 10 are 'drawn forward, the end of the lever 20 slides over the teeth 19 and when the bars 10 are clamped at their ends firmly against the door of a vehicle, the end 19 of the lever 20 is-held in-engagement-with the teeth of the arm 14'by means of a spring 22 which holds the parts against accidental displacement. i I Means are provided for releasing the outer end 19 of said lever from engagement with the teeth of the. arm 14 when it is desired to remove the tray from the door of a ve-.- hicle such means consisti ,of'a lever 23. pivoted on a stud 24, which is secured to the 1m tray, the free end 25 or edge of said lever being curved so as to. have a sliding engagement with the outer end 19 of the lever 20.

Lever 20 is provided with an opening preferably a slot 26 which is engaged by a pin 27 the in being attached to a sliding link 28 whic is provided with a stud 29 by means of which a trigger 30, is connected to said link.

An outward pull on the trigger 30 draws the free curved end of edge 25 on the lever 23 forward and releases the outer end 19 of the lever 20 from engagement with teeth 18 of the arm 14 and permits the bars 10 to be released from engagement with the door of the vehicle and removed therefrom.

The backward movement of the cross bar 13, may if desired, be cushioned by any suitable means such as a casing 31, having contained therein a spring 32, mounted upon a stud having a head 33.

By means of the construction hereinbefore described it will be seen, that 'the device may be quickly and even hurriedly attached to the door of an automobile or other vehicle even without injury thereto, even while the tray is filled with-plates containing eatables, and glasses containing liquids, without disturbing the contents of the tray to the slightest extent and when desired removed from the vehicle, without handling the dishes or glasses during the attaching or removing operation.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An adjustable tray supporting device including a body, brackets carried by said body and capable of engagement with a suitable support, side bars normally projected from one end of said body' and movable into the same and having support-engaging members at the outer ends thereof capable of engagement with said support to thereby cooperate with said brackets to maintain said body substantially horizontal, means for guiding said side bars in their movements relative to the body, resilient means connecting said side bars with said body to yieldably maintain said bars in projected position, means for moving said side bars into said body and to operative position against the tension of said resilient means, releasable means for latching said side bars 111 their operative sitions, and means carried by the body or cushioning the return movement of said side bars to normal position upon release of said latching means.

2'. An adjustable tray supporting device including a body, brackets carried by said body and capable of engagement with a suitable support, side bars normally projected from one end of said body and movable into the same and having support-engaging members at the outer ends thereof capable of engagement with said support to thereby cooperate with said brackets to maintain said body substantially horizontal, means for guiding said side bars in their movements relative to the body, resilient means connecting said side bars with said body to yieldably maintain said bars in projected position, a rack bar for moving said side bars into said body and to operative position against thetension of said resilient means, a spring pressed lever pivoted to said body and engageable with said rack bar for maintaining said side bars in operative position, a releasing member also pivoted to said body and engageable with said lever to release the same from engagement with said rack bar to permit. of the return of said side bars to normal position, and means for cushioning the return movement of said side bars.

3. An adjustable tray supporting device including a body, brackets carried by said body and capable of engagement with a suitable support, side bars normally projected from one end of said body and mov able into the same and having support-engaging members at the outer ends thereof capable of engagement with said support to thereby cooperate with said brackets to maintain said body substantially horizontal, means for guiding said side bars in their movements relative to the body, resilient means connecting said side bars with said body to yieldably maintain said bars in projected position, a rack bar for moving said side bars into said body and to operative position against the tension of said resilient means, a spring pressed lever pivoted to said mal position.

In testimony whereof we have affixed our signatures.

FRED B. McNEAL. GEO. s. HARPER.

Nil 

